FIFTH CARPATHIAN CONVENTION IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE
DECISIONS
DECISION COP3/1
Conservation and sustainable use of biological and landscape diversity
Article 4 of the Carpathian Convention
The Carpathian Convention Implementation Committee
-Recommends and submits the revised Strategic Action Plan for the implementation of the Protocol on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological and Landscape Diversity for COP4 adoption;
-Recommends and submits the final version of the format of National Report on the Implementation of the Protocol on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological and Landscape Diversity to the Framework Convention on the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Carpathians (paper version) for COP4 approval;
-Requests the Secretariat to assist SNCSR in the final elaboration of the Carpathian Red List of Species, the Carpathian Red List of Habitats and List of Invasive Alien Species in the Carpathians to the other BIOREGIO Carpathians partners for the development of the project outputs of their responsibility,as well as request the Working Group on Biodiversity to review and provide comments to the Lists;
-Requests NFPs to contact BIOREGIO Carpathians project partners in their respective countries in order to ensure their commitment in fulfilling their project tasks;
-Encourage the Biodiversity Working Group to carry out an e-consultation to consolidate the outputs of the BIOREGIO Carpathians project and requests the Secretariat to coordinate the process
-Requests the Biodiversity WG and CNPA to consider possible follow up projects/activities after the closure of BIOREGIO Carpathians project;
-Requests the Secretariat to possibly develop projects in support of the integrated implementation of the Carpathian Convention and its Protocol on biological and landscape diversity, for, for example on landscapes and ecological connectivity in the Carpathian region;
-
-Welcomes the proposal for a publication on endangered plants species specific for the Carpathians and requests the secretariat to cooperate with the SNCSR in its preparation;
-Recognizes the work of the Carpathian Wetland Initiative and requests the Secretariat, in cooperation with national Ramsar Convention focal points, to arrange renewed letters of support for further work of the Carpathian Wetland Initiative as the Regional Initiative of the Ramsar Convention and for implementation of the Memorandum of Cooperation between the Convention on Wetlands and UNEP Vienna - Interim Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention of 2006;
-Supports further activities of the Carpathian Wetland Initiative and requests the Secretariat to organize a CWI meeting within the new Programme of Work 2015 -2017;
-CCIC endorses CNPA Medium Term WorkPlan
-Reviews of draft COP4 Decisions
DECISION COP3/2
Spatial development
Article 5 of the Carpathian Convention
The Carpathian Convention Implementation Committee
-Supports the process towards the mainstreaming the Carpathians into EU macroregional strategies and requests the Secretariat to assist the process in establishing and maintaining contacts with the focal points for the EUSDR, the future Danube operational programme and further relevant macroregional strategies and programmes;
-Requests the Parties and the Secretariat to promote the Strategic Action Plan (SAP) for the Carpathian Area and priority actions for the Carpathians in relevant meetings at EU level;
-Requests the Secretariat to organize a joint meeting with the Alpine Convention on exploiting synergies of overlapping macroregional strategies;
-Reviews draft COP4 Decision
DECISION COP3/3
Sustainable and integrated water/river basin management
Article 6 of the Carpathian Convention
The Carpathian Convention Implementation Committee
-Supports the Secretariat to adopt new activities in the field of sustainable water management;
-Requests the Secretariat to seek signature of the Joint Declaration on the sustainable development of the Tisza River Basin together with ICPDR;
-Reviews draft COP4 Decision
DECISION COP3/4
Sustainable agriculture, rural development and forestry
Article 7 of the Carpathian Convention
The Carpathian Convention Implementation Committee
-Request the Working Group on Sustainable Forest Management to finalize, if suitable through an e-consultation, the Strategic Action Plan for the Implementation of the Protocol on Sustainable Forest Management to the Carpathian Convention for direct submission for consideration and adoption by COP4;
-Request the Working Group on Sustainable Forest Management to finalize, if suitable through an e-consultation, Criteria and indicators for selection of virgin forests in transboudary region for direct submission for consideration and adoption by COP4,also welcomes the offer of WWF to continue to support this work;
-Requests the Secretariat to produce a background document for the possible development of the protocol on sustainable agriculture to the Carpathian Convention and encourage the Parties to contribute to the elaboration of the Terms of Reference of the document;
-Welcomes the Partnership Agreement and the related Work Plan 2013 – 2015 between the Carpathian Convention and the European Environment Agency (EEA), and requests the Secretariat to organize the WG Forest meeting to discuss new activities deriving from the Partnership Agreement;
-Encourages the ratifications of the Forest Protocol by the Parties, which have not yet done so;
-Reviews draft COP4 Decision
DECISION COP3/5
Sustainable transport and infrastructure, Industry and energy
Article 8 of the Carpathian Convention, Article 10 of the Carpathian
Convention
The Carpathian Convention Implementation Committee
-Considers the Protocol on Sustainable Transport developed by the Working Group onWG on Sustainable Industry, Energy, Transport and Infrastructure and agrees for its submission to COP4 for adoption;
-Requests the WG to continue to work on the topic “Sustainable transport and related infrastructure” depending on the funds available, aiming atthe elaboration of a Strategic Action Plan for the implementation of the Protocol, as well as cooperation with other Working Groups (i.p. Spatial Planning and Biodiversity);
-Requests the Secretariat to develop follow-up projects in the field of ecological connectivity, green infrastructure as well as European transport networks;
-Requests the WG to consider working on sustainable energy for example promoting sustainability criteria for energy production from and use of biomass in the Carpathians and promotion of application of the "Guiding principles on sustainable hydropower development in the Danube Basin" developed by ICPDR
-Reviews draft COP4 Decision
DECISION COP3/6
Sustainable tourism
Article 9 of the Carpathian Convention
The Carpathian Convention Implementation Committee
-Requests the Secretariat to organize another meeting of the Working Group on Sustainable Tourism before COP4, in order to finalize the draft Strategy for direct submission for consideration and adoption by COP4.
-Encourages the ratification of the Protocol by the Parties, which have not yet done so;
-Reviews relevant COP4 draft Decision
DECISION COP3/7
Cultural heritage and traditional knowledge
Article 11 of the Carpathian Convention
The Carpathian Convention Implementation Committee
-Requests the Secretariat to organize another meeting of the Working Group on Cultural Heritage and Traditional Knowledge before COP4,;
-Reviews relevant COP4 draft Decision.
DECISION COP3/8
Environmental assessment/information system, monitoring and early
warning
Article 12 of the Carpathian Convention
The Carpathian Convention Implementation Committee
-Gives the Head of UNEP Vienna - Interim Secretariat of the Carpathian Conventionthe mandate to sign the Partnership Agreement with the EEA on behalf of the Carpathian Convention;
-Requests the Secretariat to facilitate contacts between WG on Forest and the European Environment Agency / European Topic Centre on Spatial Information and Analysis;
-Welcomes the close cooperation between the Science for the Carpathians Initiative and the Carpathian Convention, and invites the Science for the Carpathians Initiative to provideinputs to be included into the Secretariat’s presentation during COP 4
-Reviews the relevant draft COP4 Decisions.
DECISION COP3/9
Awareness raising, education and public participation
Article 13 of the Carpathian Convention
The Carpathian Convention Implementation Committee
-Requests the Secretariat to promote the use of the Community Livelihood Platform by sharing it with the relevant national and regional partners and stakeholders;
-Requests the Secretariat to promote the Big Foot Transferability Tool Kit and the Move4Nature Tool Kit among the relevant stakeholders, in order to facilitate their use in the Carpathian countries;
-Considers the Regional Center of Expertise (RCE) Vienna as a possible model for the Carpathian countries;
-Request the Secretariat to contact the respective Carpathian focal points of the UNECE Steering Committee on Education for Sustainable Development, in order to support the establishment of the Carpathian ESD network
-Reviews the relevant COP4 draft Decisions.
DECISION COP3/10
Cooperation with the European Union
The Carpathian Convention Implementation Committee
-Request the Secretariat to contact the respective Permanent Representations and Embassies in Brussels in order to entertain contacts with the European Commission – DG Environment and DG Regional Development in order to promote further strengthening of the cooperation between the Carpathian Convention and the European Union, and the possible future accession of the EU to the Carpathian Convention;
-Noting that the Carpathian Convention is a holistic instrument for sustainable regional development, requests the Secretariat to promote a further strengthening of cooperation with the DG Regional Development;
-Reviews draft COP4 Decision
DECISION COP3/11
Cooperation with the Alpine Convention
The Carpathian Convention Implementation Committee
-Supports the idea of a joint message between Alpine and Carpathian Conventions to be presented in Lima Peru in December 2014 during the 20th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change COP20 at the Mountain Pavilion; requests the Secretariat to assists the process in consultation with the UNFCCC Secretariat
-Welcomes the initiative by the Italian Presidency of the Alpine Convention and of the Carpathian Convention to organize a joint meeting on sharing of experiences regarding EU macroregional strategies, and requests the Secretariat to support the organization of the meeting;
-Reviews draft COP4 Decision
DECISION COP3/12
On Cooperation with other conventions and international bodies
The Carpathian Convention Implementation Committee
- Requests the secretariat to continue to promote the Carpathian Convention and sustainable mountain development in the context of the Rio+20 Follow up and of the development of the Sustainable Development Goals, in cooperation with UNEP, FAO and UNESCO
- Reviews draft COP4 Decision
DECISION COP3/13
Programme of work and budget of the Carpathian Convention
The Carpathian Convention Implementation Committee
-Supports to the proposed dates and locations of the next Carpathian Convention meetings and requests the Secretariat to supports organization of the meetings;
-Reviews draft COP4 Decision including Annexes (Programme of Work 2015-2017 of the Carpathian Convention);
-Supports the idea of organizing the joint meetings of Working Group and requests the Secretariat to coordinate these initiatives;
-Reviews the Project Platform for the possible future Carpathians Convention projects;
-Reviews and submit the updated ToRs of the Carpathian Convention Working Groups for COP4consideration..
DECISION COP3/14
Administration and financial management of the Framework Convention
on theProtection and Sustainable Development of the Carpathians
(Carpathian Convention)and its Protocols
The Carpathian Convention Implementation Committee
- Considers that COP3 decided to establish the Trust Fund for a period of 3 years, i.e. formally to 27 May 2014, whereas the Trust Fund arrangement in UNEP ends already in December 2014. Consequently COP4 has to decide on an extension of the Trust Fund and request and provide guidance to UNEP for extending the arrangement beyond December 2014 with another two years;
-Considers that COP3 wanted the COP and UNEP to agree on and administrative support charge to be paid to UNEP whereas UNEP unilaterally decided on a charge of 13%. Consequently COP4 may wish to request UNEP to, at the least inform and seek an agreement with the Contracting Parties as to the use of the PSC;
-Considers that COP3 requested the Executive Director of NEP to delegate the necessary administrative authorities to the Head of the Secretariat in line with the Rules and Regulations of the United Nations. Consequently COP4 may wish to request the Executive Director of UNEP to inform the Contracting Parties about the delegation of authority which he has put in place;
-Reviews both the certified financial statement and the proposed decision by COP4, prepared by the Secretariat
DECISION COP3/15
Climate change
The Carpathian Convention Implementation Committee
-Welcomes the outcomes of the CARPIVIA,Carpatclim and CarpathCC projects and the related activities by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) and requests the Working Group on Climate Change to possibly develop follow up activities;
-Recommends and submits the Strategic Agenda for Adaptation to climate change, developed by the Working Group on Climate Change, for COP4 approval;
-Supports and welcomes the organization of a joint meeting together with the Alpine Convention Task Force on climate change, aiming at developing a joint message on climate change and mountains to be presented at the COP20 of UNFCCC to be held in Lima, Peru, from 1 – 20 December 2014, and to exchange experience between Alpine and Carpathian Conventions on local adaptation plans, and requests the Secretariat to support the organization of the meeting;
- Reviews draft COP4 Decision.
GUIDELINES FOR THE USE OF THE LOGO OF THE CARPATHIAN CONVENTION
The Carpathian Convention Implementation Committee
- Recommends and submits the guidelines for the use of the logo of the Carpathian Convention for COP4 consideration.
SLOVAK PRESIDENCY
The Carpathian Convention Implementation Committee
- Discusses the possibility of presenting the results and activities of the successful Slovak Presidency during COP4
COP 4 PREPARATION
The Carpathian Convention Implementation Committee
-Request the Parties to provide the Secretariat with inputs and ideas for the Ministerial Declaration
1